​The area was a hive of activity, anticipation buzzed in the air and excited conversations seemed to be about little else. Surprisingly, this wasn’t due to their recent school holiday or imminent SATs but an appearance of police incident tape. Last week the Year 2 school entrance area became a crime scene.

According to a faux CBBC Newsround report, sometime during the Easter break a school iPad was damaged which led the police being called. There is no shortage of suspects, from mid-day assistants through to members of senior leadership. Being strictly impartial, the Year 2 children have begun to assist with the ongoing investigation during their weekly computing lessons.

​When asked about their lessons so far, the children have been eager to share their theories. Ryan (2MB) exclaimed that the videos are amazing. Emelia (2BG) intrigued by seeing how the police arrived at school to investigate. Velsie (2JP) said she is enjoying the challenge of finding out who is responsible. Dani (2JC) was also really excited about the iPad mystery, although she admitted she may miss her teachers if they were sent to prison.

As a year group team, we felt that the scheme of work for this half term seemed a little lacklustre; it recommended teaching how to email. Therefore we realised that we needed to develop a bespoke series of lessons appropriate to the needs of the children within our classes. Given the summer term can be demanding, we decided that our lessons needed to be as fun and as engaging as possible.

​Using a cross-curriculum selection of skills, including reading and writing, the children are utilising Google Classroom to collaborate in lessons. This secure platform simulates a social media experience that many of the children may be familiar with at home, in a controlled and safe classroom context. The children are interacting and making inferences based on multimedia ‘evidence’ to help solve the mystery. This has already facilitated conversations around online safety, age appropriate content and the use of devices beyond school.

The lightbulb moment for the children happened when they realised how their typed messages would appear on their classmate’s screens instantaneously. Naturally, it didn’t take long for some children to work out how to post an emoji or two! Billy (2JP) explained that he likes how he can “text the other people in class”. Lacey (2JP) said that she is enjoying using Google Classroom because she can read the comments that other children post. This shows a lot of promise for cultivating peer work alongside computing and literacy skills.

The school’s co-operative value of solidarity has helped embed a collegial culture which has enabled this innovative plan to become a reality. It is great to see the children enthused as they learn and develop the key skills of creating, contributing and retrieving digital content. By virtue of the iPad Mystery’s novelty the children are exceedingly engaged and have high expectations for what they will achieve.

For more information, please speak to Mr Powell or your child’s Year 2 class teacher. As you are here, please enjoy the iPad Mystery videos that the children have seen in class so far.

​This week in Reception, we have made some beautiful seasonal art. We looked at the colours used to symbolise Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and used these to create a painting representing the changing seasons.Due to Road Safety Week, we also collaged traffic lights of our own using a range of materials and spoke about what each colour represents.

This week in Maths, Year 1 have been identifying the names and properties of both 2D and 3D shapes. They have been looking at the number of faces, edges and vertices each 3D shape has and how many sides and corners 2D shapes have. Year 2 have been looking at money and identifying different coins. They have been adding money together and solving problems involving money. ​KS2 have been very busy this week in maths lessons. Y3 have been working on perfecting their knowledge of the 4X table and identifying patterns in this X table. They have been trying out different pieces of practical equipment to see which helps them best with their speed of recall for the 4X table. Y3 have also been working on worded problems, applying their knowledge and understanding and skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, which they have learnt earlier this term. Y4 have been learning about perimeter. They have been doing lots of practical work, including measuring the perimeter of items in their classes and walking the perimeter of spaces in the school grounds. Y5 have been working on their short and long division skills, using practical equipment and looking for patterns. Y6 are working on fractions; finding equivalent fractions and ordering and comparing fractions. Year 6 have been using practical equipment and their knowledge of the X tables.

​​Science is alive and buzzing across East Tilbury Primary School. STEM club have been on an adventure looking for mini-beasts within our school environment. We saw giant spiders with skinny legs and woodlice hiding under rocks in out fabulous garden. Year One are investigating nocturnal animals, creating leaf pictures of animals they would only find at night. Year Three have thrown themselves into their learning and understanding of rocks; enquiring about different types of rocks and testing their properties to find which would be the most suitable to build a statue out of.

Has your child told you they earned “Dojo” points today? Teachers are now trialing out Class Dojo with their pupils. Class Dojo is a great way to merit pupils positively. Pupils can earn “Dojo points” for all sorts of things like getting changed quickly for P.E. or producing an outstanding piece of work. At this time we are asking parents not to request to join classes. However if you wish to view your pupils merits, teachers will accept requests. We are only using Dojo to promote positive behavior so please to not try to contact teachers through this application. Please use our normal channels if you wish to contact the school.

E-Safety

This week the school issued its first safeguarding newsletter. This included information about keeping safe online. Take a look using the file download link. We hope to be issuing these once a term so keep an eye out for the next one. Remember, you can also find information about e-safety on the school website at http://easttilburyprimary.thurrock.sch.uk/e-safety.html. ​

Rm UnifyNow that the term is underway, pupils should have been issued log-ins for online resources the school subscribes to. These include Mathletics and Active learn.To see information about resources we use go to http://easttilburyprimary.thurrock.sch.uk/learning-resources.htmlIf you have any difficulty accessing these, please speak with the class teacher. All of this can be accessed centrally through RM Unify. Go to etp.rmunify.comand ask your child to log in using the same details they use when logging onto a computer in school.

​This week, we hosted a Royal Opera House tour and were joined by visitors from another school, keen to gain some insight into the journey of becoming an Artsmark Platinum School. They were treated to snippets of the learning and creativity that goes on here at East Tilbury. This included George and Ellie presenting their Arts Award portfolios, the cast of Carmen, taken from our school choir, singing songs from the opera, children talking about their recent photography project with Emile Holba, an English lesson with Miss Jones, children performing a very amusing scene from the recent Midsummer Night’s Dream Spring Production and Summer and Ricardo working as our photographers for the visit. Visitors were overwhelmed by the confidence and warmth of our pupils, as well as the level of expertise they are saw developed through partnerships such as Trailblazer. They were greatly impressed by the range of experiences made available to our pupils and the breadth and balance of our curriculum.

These are some of the photos that Ricardo and Summer took to document the visit. Thank you and well done to everyone.

​We are so grateful to Emile Holba, documentary maker and photographer, who volunteered his time and resources to lead a project with some pupils from our school, as part of our growing programme of projects across the curriculum for more able and talented learners. Pupils were able to explore different aspects of photographic narrative and composition, through this hands on and practical project, grounded in scientific theory. Feedback from the pupils involved has been very positive, with all saying that they had grown in confidence. Interestingly, they all described a gradual realisation that there are other things to photograph apart from themselves, as they explored still life, architecture and nature. There is more to photography than the endless selfie! Runako described it as a journey of becoming 'less self-absorbed.' Watch this space to see some of their creations in the coming weeks.

This week in English Reception have been working on the story Supertato by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet. That naughty Evil Pea captured and tied up a range of vegetables in our classrooms and set us super tricky challenges each day to complete and release a vegetable. We’ve practiced using our phonics skills to write compliments to Evil Pea, describe the vegetables that he had caught and ended the week writing to Supertato and giving him some great ideas of how to rescue the final vegetable.

Next week is E-Safety week. It is worthwhile taking the opportunity to discuss appropriate internet use and devices. Children and young people need to know who they can tell when things go wrong. For some top tips on how to stay safe online, take a look at: www.saferinternet.org.uk​

We had a new child join our class this week. The rest of the class were quick to introduce themselves and welcome them. It was encouraging and rewarding to see the school's co-operative values of equity and solidarity in action.

However, things don't always work this way in the virtual world. The innocence at which the children meet new people and interact with them in the safe environment of a classroom, led me to wonder whether they are as accepting when interacting online.

For many children, using apps on a tablet or smartphone is second nature. However, it is difficult for children to discern friendships made online, understand the possible risks and the need to be guarded about their personal information safe.

The children below decided to enter a poetry competition, arranged by Young Writers. There poems were successful and were chosen to have their work published in a poetry book. Congratulations for all of your hard work and success.

I was hanging around minding my own business, When all of a suddenA group of people came towards me.I looked to my side and saw a stranger,Who said, ‘These people are bad, let’s fly!’‘I can’t fly but I can try.’Then all of a sudden,I pushed myself up but not very high.They were getting closerAnd I was very high up in the sky.I could see the clouds begging against me.I felt strong and powerfulAnd I know I would get away.Finally I came down and touched the ground.

It's wild like a wolf,It's gentle like the breezeAnd it has a burning sense of humour.It's easy to please.

It is loved worldwideBut don't be fooled by its pose.It has dark secrets,Beware of the crimson rose.

Fanta T, Yr 6

Fame and Fotune

Oh to be famousOh to be richThis is what I dream of when I’m in my bedKiss my mum goodnight then turn turn off the lightDreaming is a place where I like to goWhere every wish comes trueEverywhere sparkles Everywhere shinesThe camera crew follow meBut it’s fine.

Tilly Grey, Yr 5

Heaven and Hell

Will I go to Heaven or will I go to Hell?I guess the angels will decide,I think the demons will as well.The angels will be prancingAnd the demons will be dancing.Heaven is for the good,Hell is for the bad.I’m hoping to end up happyAs I don’t like being sad.The demons dwell upon your sinBut angels want us all to win.

Bethany E Yr 5

The Sparkly Rainbow​Once there was a rainbow as fine as can beIt was over there by the sparkly sea.It would shine and shine for evermoreBut only if I could cross the shimmering shore.But one instant morning I knew this day would comeAs the sun shone and the birds started to tweet.I suddenly woke up from under my lovely sheet.I knew I would meet him across the sea,The sparkly rainbow, just him and me.

Roxanne O Yr5

Genie Combined

Once there was a genie as kind as can be,She would swim in the sea and fly over the water,Run through the deserts as fast as me,She would meet this boy across the seaAnd his name was HarryAnd he would say, ‘Wee, wee, wee!’Each day they would go on exciting adventures,Their ship was magical so they could fly.Harry once saw a gem and they found a map,The map led them to a very pretty cap,The cap led them to a mermaidThat gave them a clue...

Aleyna S Yr 5

The Star of My Dreams​I went to bed to rest my head,And found it hard to sleep,I closed my eyes and to my surpriseIt works, counting sheep.There was something different,But I was in my bedThat’s it, there is no longer a ceiling above my head.I looked around, up and downAnd saw a twinkle from afar...It was a different, friendly shining star.It lowered down and asked to play,Like I’ve always wanted to...‘I’m your Nanny Jayne.I shall hide and you shall seekBut I’ve watched you play before, Don’t be cheeky and peek.’We played, we danced and how we joked,I can’t wait to dream now I’ve awoke.

Sienna M Yr 5

If The World Will End

We must save the world because it may endBecause the demons might attack you!The plague might spread, whahahaha!We should make the world not end.